Earth mover



April 21, 9 H. w. ROCKWELL ETAL 3,129,522

EARTH MOVER Filed Dec. 22, 1961 United States Patent 3,129,522 EARTH MUVER Harvey W. Rockwell, Cedar Rapids, and Dale W. Hawk,

Marion, Iowa, assignors to Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Miiwankee, Wis.

Filed Dec. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 161,481 16 Claims. (Cl. 37-129) This invention relates to earth moving equipment and is more particularly concerned with means for adjustably connecting a bowl unit to a rubber tired rear end unit.

It is an object of this invention to provide means for se curing a rubber tired rear end support unit to the rear of a scraper bowl unit whereby the scraper blade may be adjusted relative to the rear end support unit and the ground.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an adjustable connection between a bowl unit and a single axle rubber tired unit at the rear thereof which permits raising and lowering of the rear push block.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an eccentric connecting member in the connecting means between the scraper bowl unit and the rear rubber tired unit, whereby rotation of the eccentric connecting member effects leveling of the blade of the scraper bowl.

It is a further object of this invention to provide connecting means for securing interchangeable rear rubber tired support units to the rear of a scraper bowl unit, wherein a pair of upper fastening means and a pair of lower fastening means are employed.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a pair of adjustable upper fastening means and a pair of lower fastening means, at least one of which is vertically adjustable, for connecting the scraper bowl to a rear rubber tired unit.

It is a further object of this invention to provide adjustable connecting means between a scraper bowl and a rear rubber tired supporting unit whereby manufacturing tolerances may be compensated for, the blade of the scraper bowl leveled with relation to the ground, and the push block height adjusted to match the push means of the pusher tractor.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent when the following description is read in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of an earth mover incorporating this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the scraper shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view showing the lower fastening means in enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a side view of one of the lower fastening means shown in enlarged scale;

FIG. 5 is a section view taken along the line VV in FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the earth mover 11 includes a bowl unit 12 which has a transverse blade 13 at the bottom thereof for excavating earth or the like when lowered. The tip out bottom 14 of the bowl is pivoted at 16 to the bowl unit by a piano type hinge. Draft arms 17, 18 of a draft frame 26 extend forward from their axially aligned pivot connections 19, 21 to a front tractor unit. Raising and lowering of the blade is achieved by varying the pivotal position of the bowl unit 12 and the draft frame 21) about the transverse axis of pins 19, 21. This is effected through use of hydraulic rams, not shown, in a conventional manner. The rear rubber tired unit 26 is considered a single axle unit in that it includes a pair of transversely spaced rubber tires 27, 28 mounted for rotation about a common transverse axis 30. The tires 27, 28 are driven through a power train including a transmission 29 operatively connected to an engine 31. The

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engine and transmission are mounted in a rear unit chassis 32 which includes a rear push block 33.

The present invention provides adjustable fastening means for connecting the rear rubber tired unit to the rear of the bowl unit. The adjustable fastening means include a pair of upper fastening means 41, 42 and a pair of lower fastening means 43, 44. It should be understood that the pair of upper fastening means 41, 42 are similar to one another, and that the pair of lower fastening means 43, 44 are similar to one another and are disposed forwardly of the axis 311 of the rear wheels. Upper fastening means or link 41 includes a ball pin 46 welded to a pair of ears 47, 48 extending rearwardly from the back of the bowl unit 12. A socket 49 is connected to the ball portion of the ball pin 46 by a cap 51 and cap screws 52. Similarly, a ball pin 56 is rigidly secured to ears 53, 54 of chassis 332 of the rear rubber tired unit and a socket 57 and cap 58 are held in engagement with the ball portion of the ball pin 56 by cap screws, not shown. An adjusting rod 61 has a central hole 62 for receiving a pin or lever to turn it to adjust the distance between ball pins 46, 56. The opposite ends of the rod 61 are threaded in opposite directions so that turning in one direction shortens the distance between pins 46, 56 and turning in the other direction lengthens the length of the fastening means 41. Thus, it is seen that the pair of upper fastening means 41, 42 are adjustable links.

Each of the lower fastening means includes a socket member 71 rigidly secured as by welding to the bowl unit, which presents a spherically shaped surface 72, an eccentrically mounted ball member 74 presenting a ball portion 73 contacting surface 72, and a trunnion cap 76 with a spherical seat 77 which is secured to the socket member 71 by four cap screws 7 8. The ball portion 74 may be considered the ball and member 71 and cap 76 the socket of a ball and socket joint. The ball member 74 includes a pair of annular mounting portions 81, 82 at opposite axial sides of the ball portion 73. As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the annular mounting portions 81, 82 have cylindrical surfaces formed on an axis 83 which is spaced from the center 84 of the sphere defined by the spherical surface 86 of the ball portion 73. The annular mounting portions 81, 82 are disposed in cylindrical openings 91, 92 formed in a pair of forwardly extending legs 93, 94 of the chassis 32 of the rear rubber tired unit 26. The end of the legs 93, 94 are longitudinally split to permit a tension member in the form of a cap screw 96 to contract their cylindrical surfaces 91, 92 and thereby releasably secure the annular mounting portions 81, 82 against rotation. A pair of crossed recesses 101, 102 are provided for receiving a wrench to turn the eccentric fastening member 74. It should be understood that eccentric fastening means 44 is a reverse image of fastening means 43.

The eccentric fastening connections 43, 44 may be adjusted at the time the rear unit is installed on the rear of the bowl unit to compensate for manufacturing tolerances or when a worn-out rear tire is replaced with a new tire and the other tire is not replaced, thereby changing the blade position relation to the ground. It is desirable to have the blade 13 disposed to penetrate at an even depth along its width. Adjustment of the cutting edge relative to the ground can be effected by pivotally adjusting the eccentric member 74 and by adjusting one of the upper adjustable links. Either one or both of the eccentric fastening means may be adjusted to relevel the blade, depending on the amount of relative vertical adjustment required between the bowl and rear units. For some operations, it may be desirable to use a rear rubber tired unit which is not a power driven unit and such being the case the illustrated engine driven rear unit can be easily replaced without expensive alteration of the units. The i1- J: lustrated fastening means permit liberal manufacturing tolerances, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

A further desirable function of this invention is that of providing an adjustable height push block 33. By adjusting the length of links 41, 42, the rear unit will pivot about the ball and socket joints of the lower fastening means 43, 44 and thereby change the height of push block 33. Adjustment of the height of the push block is desirable where all the pusher tractors employed do not have the same height push means.

Although a single embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described, it is intended that this invention shall include all embodiments covered by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an earth mover having a bowl unit with a transverse cutting edge and a rear unit for supporting the rear of said bowl unit including a pair of tires mounted for rotation on a common transverse axis, the combination of: a pair of transversely spaced upper fastening means interconnecting said units and a pair of transversely spaced lower fastening means interconnecting said units, one of said pairs of fastening means each including an adjustable link, and the other of said pairs of fastening means including at least one adjustable eccentric con nection spaced forwardly of said transverse axis.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said rear unit includes a pair of transversely spaced rubber tires and said adjustable eccentric connection includes a ball and socket joint.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said other pair of fastening means includes a ball eccentrically mounted on one of said units for adjustment relative thereto and a socket engaging said ball and fixed to the other of said units.

4. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said eccentric connection includes a ball member eccentrically and releasably mounted on one of said units and a socket for said ball member on the other of said units.

5. The structure set forth in claim 4 wherein said ball member is rotatable about a transverse axis and includes a ball shaped portion connected to said socket whose center is spaced from said axis.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5 wherein said other pair of fastening means is said lower pair of fastening means.

7. The structure set forth in claim 5 wherein said ball member includes an annular mounting portion at each of the opposite transverse sides, respectively, of said ball shaped portion, said annular mounting portions being formed concentric to said transverse axis.

8. The structure set forth in claim 7 and further comprising a pair of caps releasably securing said annular portions to said one of said units, said blade being vertically adjusted relative to the ground upon said ball member being rotated about said transverse axis.

9. In an earth mover having a bowl unit with a transverse cutting edge and a rear unit for supporting the rear of said bowl unit including a pair of tires mounted for rotation on a common transverse axis,, the combination of: upper fastening means interconnecting said units and lower fastening means interconnecting said units, one of said fastening means including an adjustable link, and the other of said fastening means including a pair of transversely spaced pivot connections at least one of which is vertically adjustable, said pivot connections being spaced forwardly of said transverse axis.

10. The structure set forth in claim 9 wherein said one pivot connection includes a ball eccentrically mounted on one of said units for adjustment relative thereto and a socket engaging said ball and fixed to the other of said units.

11. The structure set forth in claim 10 wherein said other fastening means is said lower fastening means.

12. In an earth mover having a bowl unit with a transverse cutting edge and a rear unit for supporting the rear of said bowl unit including a pair of tires mounted for rotation on a common transverse axis, the combination of: upper fastening means interconnecting said units, lower fastening means interconnecting said units, one of said fastening means including an adjustable link, the other of said fastening means including an adjustable connection for leveling said cutting edge, said adjustable connection being spaced forwardly of said transverse axis.

13. In an earth mover having a bowl unit with a transverse cutting edge and a rear unit for supporting the rear of said bowl unit including a pair of tires mounted for rotation on a common transverse axis, the combination of: fastening means interconnecting said units including a pair of transversely spaced pivots one of which is adjustable, and an adjustable link spaced from said pivots, said transversely spaced pivots being spaced forwardly of said transverse axis.

14. The structure set forth in claim 13 wherein said rear unit is a single axle unit and said one pivot connection includes a ball eccentrically mounted on one of said units.

15. An earthmover comprising: a bowl unit having a transverse cutting edge, a draft frame having longitudinally extending legs at opposite lateral sides of said bowl unit, means pivotally connecting said legs to said bowl unit for relative pivotal movement about a first transverse axis between raised and excavating positions, a single axle unit at the rear of said bowl unit having a pair of wheels mounted thereon for rotation about a second transverse axis spaced rearwardly of said first axis, a push block secured to said single axle unit and extended to the rear thereof, a pair of upper fastening means interconnecting said units, a pair of lower fastening means interconnecting said units, one of said pair of fastening means including pivot connections connecting said units on a third transverse pivot axis intermediate said first and second axes, the other of said pair of fastening means each including an adjustable link operable to adjust the elevation of said push block by pivoting said single axle unit relative to said bowl unit about said third transverse axis independently of relative pivotal movement of said bowl unit and draft frame about said first axis.

16. The structure set forth in claim 15 wherein one of said pivot connections includes a ball eccentrically mounted on one of said units.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,982,219 McAlister Nov. 27, 1934 2,268,175 Vaughn Dec. 30, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 688,388 Great Britain Mar. 4, 1953 

15. AN EARTHMOVER COMPRISING: A BOWL UNIT HAVING A TRANSVERSE CUTTING EDGE, A DRAFT FRAME HAVING LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING LEGS A OPPOSITE LATERAL SIDES OF SAID BOWL UNIT, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID LEGS TO SAID BOWL UNIT, RELATIVE PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A FIRST TRANSVERSE AXIS BETWEEN RAISED AND EXCAVATING POSITION, A SINGLE AXLE UNIT AT THE REAR OF SAID BOWL UNIT HAVING A PAIR OF WHEELS MOUNTED THEREON FOR ROTATION ABOUT A SECOND TRANSVERSE AXIS SPACED REARWARDLY OF SAID FIRST AXIS, A PUSH BLOCK SECURED TO SAID SINGLE AXLE UNIT AND EXTENDED TO THE REAR THEROF, A PAIR OF UPPER FASTENING MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID UNITS, ONE OF SAID PAIR OF FASTENING MEANS INCLUDING PIVOT CONNECTIONS CONNECTING SAID UNITS ON A THIRD TRANSVERSE PIVOT AXIS INTERMEDIATE SAID FIRST AND SECOND AXES, THE OTHER OF SAID PAIR OF FASTENING MEANS EACH INCLUD ING AN ADJUSTABLE LINK OPERABLE TO ADJUST THE ELEVATION OF SAID PUSH BLOCK BY PIVOTING SAID SINGLE AXLE UNIT RELATIVE TO SAID BOWL UNIT ABOUT SAID THIRD TRANSVERSE AXIS INDEPENDENTLY OF RELATIVE PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID BOWL UNIT AND DRAFT FRAME ABOUT SAID FIRST AXIS. 